What you'll learn in this expert session
Iron is a vital micronutrient, particularly for mother and child during pregnancy. Dr Helen Savoia discusses the role of iron in the body and the mechanisms by which this is achieved. She then outlines how iron requirements change before, during and after pregnancy, and the role medical professionals can take to ensure optimal iron status for mother and child.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify iron requirements at various stages of life, especially before, during and after pregnancy
- Understand how iron is absorbed and transported, particularly across the placenta
- Assess the potential ill-effects of iron deficiency during pregnancy for mother and child
- Identify the optimal iron status during pregnancy, which results in the best possible health outcomes
- Understand who to screen for anaemia, when, and how
- Recognise the treatment options for iron deficiency during pregnancy
About the Expert
Dr Helen Savoia
Dr Savoia is a consultant Haematologist and Transfusion Medicine Specialist at the Royal Children’s and Royal Women’s Hospitals in Melbourne and has been practising in the area of pregnancy-related haematology since the late 1990s. Dr Savoia is currently Director of Laboratory Services which provides services to the Royal Children’s Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital. She contributes to the provision of clinical and laboratory haematology and transfusion services at both sites. She is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, completed her undergraduate medical degree at the University of Melbourne and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.
Course curriculum
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1
Video Lecture
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Preconception, Pregnancy and Postnatal Iron Deficiency (26 mins of CPD)
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Test your learning!
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